Day-by-day blood pressure variability in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

In a retrospective analysis, the authors investigated day-by-day blood pressure variability (BPV) and its association with clinical outcomes (critical vs. severe and discharged) in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The study participants were hospitalized in Tongji Hospital, Guanggu Branch, Wuhan, China, between February 1 and April 1, 2020. BPV was assessed as standard derivation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), and variability independent of mean (VIM). The 79 participants included 60 (75.9%) severe patients discharged from the hospital after up to 47 days of hospitalization, and 19 (24.1%) critically ill patients transferred to other hospitals for further treatment (n = 13), admitted to ICU (n = 3) or died (n=3). Despite similar use of antihypertensive medication (47.4% vs. 41.7%) and mean levels of systolic/diastolic blood pressure (131.3/75.2 vs. 125.4/77.3 mmHg), critically ill patients, compared with severe and discharged patients, had a significantly (p ≤ .04) greater variability of systolic (SD 14.92 vs. 10.84 mmHg, CV 11.39% vs. 8.56%, and VIM 15.15 vs. 10.75 units) and diastolic blood pressure (SD 9.38 vs. 7.50 mmHg, CV 12.66% vs. 9.80%, and VIM 9.33 vs. 7.50 units). After adjustment for confounding factors, the odds ratios for critical versus severe and discharged patients for systolic BPV were 3.41 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20-9.66, p = .02), 4.09 (95% CI 1.14-14.67, p = .03), and 2.81 (95% CI 1.12-7.05, p = .03) for each 5-mmHg increment in SD, 5% increment in CV, and 5-unit increment in VIM, respectively. Similar trends were observed for diastolic BPV indices (p ≤ .08). In conclusion, in patients with COVID-19, BPV was greater and associated with worse clinical outcomes.

Blood pressure and heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity in white-coat, masked, and sustained hypertension.

We investigated blood pressure (BP) and heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) in white-coat, masked and sustained hypertension in untreated patients (n = 645). Normotension and white-coat, masked, and sustained hypertension were defined according to the clinic (cutoff 140/90 mmHg) and 24-h ambulatory (130/80 mmHg) BPs. The Finometer device recorded beat-to-beat finger BP and electrocardiograms in the supine and standing positions for the computation of frequency-domain power-spectral BP and heart rate variability indexes and BRS. In multivariate analysis, BP variability indexes in the supine position differed significantly (P < 0.0001) for both low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) components and the LF/HF ratio, with the lowest LF and HF power and highest LF/HF ratio in white-coat hypertension (n = 28), the highest LF and HF power and lowest LF/HF ratio in sustained hypertension (n = 198), and intermediate values in normotension (n = 189) and masked hypertension (n = 230). These differences diminished in the standing position, being significant (P < 0.0001) only for the LF component variability. The LF/HF ratio in BP in the supine position decreased with advancing age in normotension and sustained hypertension (P ≤ 0.03) but not white-coat or masked hypertension (P ≥ 0.12). For heart rate variability, a significant difference was observed only for the LF component in the supine position (P = 0.0005), which was lowest in white-coat hypertension. BRS in masked and sustained hypertension was significantly (P ≤ 0.0001) lower than that in normotension in both supine and standing positions and decreased with advancing age (P ≤ 0.0001). In conclusion, masked, but not white-coat, hypertension showed similar patterns of, but slightly less severe, changes in BP and heart rate variability and BRS to sustained hypertension.

Resting heart rate in the supine and sitting positions as predictors of mortality in an elderly Chinese population.

OBJECTIVE: Heart rate (HR) was recommended by the European hypertension guidelines for risk assessment. Among unresolved issues in relation to HR as a risk factor, body position may be critical. We therefore investigated HR in the supine and sitting positions as predictors of mortality in an elderly population. METHODS: Our elderly (≥60 years) participants were recruited from a suburban town of Shanghai. HR in the supine and sitting positions was measured with two different validated automated oscillometric blood pressure monitors. Information on total and cardiovascular mortality was collected during follow-up. RESULTS: In the 4051 participants (44.6% of men, mean age of 68.6 years), HR at baseline was slower in the supine than sitting position (72.2 ±â€Š13.9 vs. 76.3 ±â€Š11.9 bpm, P < 0.0001). During 5.9 years (median) of follow-up, the cumulated number of person-years was 20 529, and total and cardiovascular deaths occurred in 376 and 186 participants, respectively. In a Cox regression model adjusted for covariates and mutually one for another, HR in the supine but not sitting position predicted total and cardiovascular mortality (both P < 0.0001). The hazard ratios associated with HR in the supine position were 1.19 (95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.29) and 1.25 (1.13-1.38) for 1-SD increase, respectively, and 1.53 (1.19-1.98) and 1.69 (1.19-2.40) for at least 75 vs. less than 75 bpm, respectively. The mortality risk increased continuously and significantly with HR in the supine position starting from 63 bpm. CONCLUSION: Resting HR in the supine position may be preferred for risk assessment in the elderly.

Independent effects of blood pressure and parathyroid hormone on aortic pulse wave velocity in untreated Chinese patients.

OBJECTIVE: Whether or not calcium-regulating hormones stiffen arteries independent of blood pressure (BP) is uncertain. We investigated the independent associations of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) with 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D], parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 24-h ambulatory BP in untreated Chinese patients. METHODS: Consecutive untreated patients referred for ambulatory BP monitoring were recruited. PWV was measured with a high-fidelity micromanometer and the SphygmoCor software (AtCor Medical, West Ryde, New South Wales, Australia). Serum 25(OH)D and PTH were determined by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Analysis of variance, single and multiple regressions were applied for analyses. RESULTS: In 1052 untreated patients (50.7% women; mean age, 51 years), PWV averaged 7.8 m/s, 24-h SBP/DBP 126.5/81.7 mmHg, serum 25(OH)D and PTH 36.0 nmol/l and 61.6 pg/ml, respectively. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, BP (P < 0.001) and PTH (P = 0.012) increased from less than 25th to at least 75th percentile of the PWV distribution. In continuous analyses, PWV independently increased by 0.40/0.23 m/s per 1-SD increment in SBP/DBP (P < 0.001) and by 0.14 m/s for a doubling of serum PTH (P = 0.029). Associations of PWV with BP were tighter than with PTH (P < 0.001). In pathway analysis, the effect of PTH on PWV did not run via serum or urinary calcium (P = 0.65), but PTH had both a direct (P = 0.026) and a BP-mediated indirect effect (P = 0.043) on PWV. In none of our analyses were PWV associated with serum 25(OH)D. CONCLUSION: Arterial stiffness, as assessed by PWV, independently increased both with BP and with PTH, but BP remains the main driver of arterial stiffening.

Diurnal Blood Pressure Rhythmicity in Relation to Environmental and Genetic Cues in Untreated Referred Patients.

No previous study has addressed the relative contributions of environmental and genetic cues to the diurnal blood pressure rhythmicity. From 24-hour ambulatory recordings of systolic blood pressure obtained in untreated patients (51% women; mean age, 51 years), we computed the night-to-day ratio in 897 and morning surge in 637. Environmental cues included season, mean daily outdoor temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity and weekday, and the genetic cues 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 10 clock genes. Systolic blood pressure averaged (±SD) 126.7±11.9 mm Hg, night-to-day ratio 0.86±0.07, and morning surge 24.8±10.7 mm Hg. In adjusted analyses, night-to-day ratio was 2.4% higher in summer and 1.8% lower in winter (P<0.001) compared with the annual average with a small effect of temperature (P=0.079); morning surge was 1.7 mm Hg lower in summer and 1.1 mm Hg higher in winter (P<0.001). The other environmental cues did not add to the night-to-day ratio or morning surge variance (P≥0.37). Among the 14 genetic variations, only CLOCK rs180260 was significantly associated with morning surge after adjustment for season, temperature, and other host factors and after Bonferroni correction (P=0.044). In CLOCK rs1801260 C allele carriers (n=83), morning surge was 3.7 mm Hg higher than in TT homozygotes (n=554). Of the night-to-day ratio and morning surge variance, season and temperature explained ≈8% and ≈3%, while for genetic cues, these proportions were ≈1% or less. In conclusion, environmental compared with genetic cues are substantially stronger drivers of the diurnal blood pressure rhythmicity.

Association of Anthropometric and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Measures of Adiposity with High Molecular Weight Adiponectin Concentration.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between adiposity measures and plasma concentration of high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin. METHODS: In a Chinese sample (n = 1081), we performed measurements of anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). We defined overweight and obesity as a body mass index between 24 and 27.4 kg/m² and ≥ 27.5 kg/m², respectively, and central obesity as a waist circumference ≥ 90 cm in men and ≥ 80 cm in women. Plasma HMW adiponectin concentration was measured by the ELISA method. RESULTS: Plasma HMW adiponectin concentration was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher in women (n = 677, 2.47 µg/mL) than men (n = 404, 1.58 µg/mL) and correlated with advancing age in men (r = 0.28) and women (r = 0.29). In adjusted analyses, it was lower in the presence of overweight (n = 159, 1.26 µg/mL in men and n = 227, 2.15µg/mL in women) and obesity (n = 60, 1.31 µg/mL and n = 82, 2.10 µg/mL, respectively) than normal weight subjects (n = 185, 2.07µg/mL and n = 368, 2.94 µg/mL, respectively) and in the presence of central obesity (n = 106, 1.28 µg/mL and n = 331, 2.12 µg/mL, respectively) than subjects with a normal waist circumference (n = 298, 1.74 µg/mL and n = 346, 2.74 µg/mL, respectively). In multiple regression analyses stratified for gender, adjusted for confounders and considered separately each of the adiposity measures, all adiposity measures were significantly (r -0.18 to -0.31, P < 0.001) associated with plasma HMW adiponectin concentration. However, in further stratified and adjusted regression analyses considered stepwise all adiposity measures, only waist-to-hip ratio was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with plasma HMW adiponectin concentration in men (r = -0.10) and women (r = -0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Anthropometric measures of obesity, such as waist-to-hip ratio, but not BIA measures, are independently associated with plasma adiponectin concentration.

Pulse Waves in the Lower Extremities as a Diagnostic Tool of Peripheral Arterial Disease and Predictor of Mortality in Elderly Chinese.

Patients with peripheral arterial disease may have elongated upstroke time in pulse waves in the lower extremities. We investigated upstroke time as a diagnostic tool of peripheral arterial disease and predictor of mortality in an elderly (≥60 years) Chinese population. We recorded pulse waves at the left and right ankles by pneumoplethysmography and calculated the percentage of upstroke time per cardiac cycle. Diagnostic accuracy was compared with the conventional ankle-brachial index method (n=4055) and computed tomographic angiography (34 lower extremities in 17 subjects). Upstroke time per cardiac cycle at baseline (mean±SD, 16.4%±3.1%) was significantly (P<0.0001) associated with ankle-brachial index in men (n=1803; r=-0.44) and women (n=2252; r=-0.32) and had an overall sensitivity and specificity of 86% and 80%, respectively, for the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease (upstroke time per cardiac cycle, ≥21.7%) in comparison with computed tomographic angiography. During 5.9 years (median) of follow-up, all-cause and cardiovascular deaths occurred in 366 and 183 subjects, respectively. In adjusted Cox regression analyses, an upstroke time per cardiac cycle ≥21.7% (n=219; 5.4%) significantly (P<0.0001) predicted total and cardiovascular mortality. The corresponding hazard ratios were 1.98 (95% confidence interval, 1.48-2.65) and 2.29 (1.58-3.32), respectively, when compared with that of 2.10 (1.48-3.00) and 2.44 (1.57-3.79), respectively, associated with an ankle-brachial index of ≤0.90 (n=115; 2.8%). In conclusion, pulse waves in the lower extremities may behave as an accurate and ease of use diagnostic tool of peripheral arterial disease and predictor of mortality in the elderly.